Volkswagen just teased their 2023 VW Bus prototype, which would be built as their ID.Buzz microbus-inspired van. It’s going to be the electric VW Bus that will be delivered in 2023, or so they claim. That’s why it is still unclear whether the green VW Bus would be designed as the 2023 model or the 2024 model.
The Teased Version
Klaus Zellmer, VW’s Global Head of Sales and Marketing, briefly showed the heavily covered ID.Buzz during the reveal livestream for ID.5 crossover. He didn’t say much. He didn’t provide enough information about this upcoming ID.Buzz, just saying that there should be more info about the EV the following year.
The camo scheme was quite similar to the applied theme for its ID.4 prototype form. If the production form won’t stray too far from the original design, then you will get the fun van with the modernized touch.
The Long Journey
The journey is pretty long, after the company had teased the concept in January 2017. At that time, it gained positive welcome and everyone was happy about the concept. After the reveal during Detroit Auto Show in 2017, there was even a concept ride available just several months afterwards.
The retro EV should be fully revealed in 2022, if everything works smoothly. The real model isn’t exactly similar to the concept. During the test vehicles, the real model bears more close resemblance to the ones taken in spyshots. If it’s true, then it’s most likely that the new van would be using MEB platform, which is also used by the ID.4 and ID.5. This is also the similar platform used by Audi, with its Q4 e-Tron Sportback and SUV, along with the ID.3 hatchback for European market.
Volkswagen
is said to cover (some of) the development costs for the model through coordinating it with cargo version. In 2018, they showed the first cargo van version of ID.Buzz concept. And then there have been reports about both passenger and cargo version production, which would be done in Germany (in Hanover, to be exact). That’s where the company’s manufacturing plant for building commercial vehicles.
Powertrain and Performance
VW has its own plan concerning electric vehicle production with ID.3 and ID.4 crossover. It seems that this happy van will join the production stage. The original plan is to release the van in 2022 for European market, while the North American market will get its share the following year. There would be different launching schemes for different markets. For Europe, there would be passenger and commercial models. For the US market, there would only one passenger long wheel base version available.
The basic driving option would be rear wheel, producing 200 hp. The all wheel driving system would be optional and it should be able to produce 300 hp. The van was inspired by the VW Bus classic 1950s that represented the happy and free time of the 50s and the 60s. Of course, power was absolutely different. Back then in 1950, the happy van was only able to produce 30 hp, so it’s a significant power.
Every axle of 2023 VW Bus will be attached to an electric motor. It has 111 kWh battery within the MEB chassis, enabling the van to cover 300 miles within one charge only. It also supports fast charging system. It should be able to get 80% of its energy through 30 minutes of recharge at around 150 kW. Quite impressive, eh?
Price and Release Date
According to plan, the ID.Buzz should be available in 2023 for the American auto market. Price hasn’t been revealed just yet either, so I guess we do have to wait until 2022 to get full details about 2023 VW Bus.
